That sunny day I stepped upon a shell,
Its bitter clam’s edge digging in my sole.
I remembered why we pain, remembered well.
So I dug in deeper, dug deeper still,
My foot on the shard in the fleeting hole,
That sunny day I stepped upon the shell.
I learned that pain is the oldest well
That echoes ever what the serpent stole.
I remembered why we pain, remembered well.
I remembered pain is not the greatest hell
Made to trap and stunt the hapless soul
That day I crushed the fallen shell.
I, too, was crushed (spent) and spilled
Out my longing for a better shore, this toll
Taken by pain’s memory, remembered well.
To forget the pain is only not to feel at all
The part left out of who I am, the whole.
That day I stepped, I stepped upon my shell,
I found purpose for my pain. Remember it well.
Dwelling deep in the forests of New England, Graham spends most of his time reading, taking walks with his dog, and learning new and interesting things (and reveling in cooler, more temperate climates). Born and raised in the Boston area, Graham was homeschooled from an early age. After high school, he proceeded to get a bachelor’s in Literature from Patrick Henry College in Northern Virginia. He currently resides in the Boston area while pursuing a master’s in Education at Gordon College, steeping in the rich history of his home turf and a continued exploration of literature from across the world. He says you should read Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country and Chaim Potok’s The Chosen, because they are incredible novels. Also, read Robert Frost.
I love this!
Great poem!